By Daniela Aroche
The past year has seen pay freezes, layoffs, decreased bonus payments and an increased focus on profit margins, cost-cutting and productivity to boost shaky bottom lines. With such a volatile combination of stressful factors, it's no wonder that lawyers are starting to crack under the pressure.
Incidences of lawyers reaching breaking point are occurring globally. A health advice line for the legal profession in the UK, for example, has reported that the recession has led to record numbers of lawyers suffering from stress and depression.
Some firms have recognised the need to take action. UK-based firm Herbert Smith recently launched a training scheme to help its staff recognise the symptoms of stress and deal with mental illness - a skill which in the current climate could improve not only health but also career satisfaction.
"Stress from the economic meltdown is universal and lawyers are not immune," said Florence Pang, senior consultant legal at Hudson Hong Kong.
Law has long been a vocation that requires its members to be tough and operate efficiently under pressure and Lyons adds that it's this very reputation and unspoken expectation that makes law so difficult when it comes to stress. Many lawyers are reluctant to admit to being stressed and having trouble coping with the pressures that are placed upon them.
Although many parts of Asia have not been as badly affected by the economic downturn, Pang says that lawyers is Asia are also affected by increased pressure in the workplace and rising stress levels, regardless of the economic climate.
"Many corporate finance lawyers work extremely long hours and sleep a few hours a day at the peak of an IPO project. Unfortunately, on occasions like these rarely does one see a workshop convened to address the burnt-out symptoms," she said.
"So this [stress management programs] is definitely a step in the right direction, but law firms should take a step further to review their culture of pursuing ever increasing billable hours. Otherwise stress reduction programs will only be futile at the end."
Learning to spot and manage stress may actually contribute to career success.
"Of course job performance ties with our well-being, so programs that enhance awareness of our own physical and mental status and alert us to find solutions to improve our well-being are important," said Pang.
The degree to which firms in Asia are actually offering support for stressed lawyers, however, is highly questionable. All of the Asian offices of law firms contacted by ALB declined to comment, with an anonymous source in the Hong Kong offices of a UK law firm saying: "We don't do any of that stuff in Asia".
A precursor to burnout is ADT, or attention deficit trait, a phrase coined by leading psychiatrist Edward Hallowell. Andrew May, a leading expert on performance and productivity, and author of the book 'Flip the Switch' - practical advice on mastering a totally new skill-set to survive in the modern world - provides some tips on how to spot ADT before it's too late.
Signs and symptoms of ADT
* Inability to relax or switch off from work
* Addicted to speed - everything has to happen instantaneously or you get frustrated, uptight, wired
* Fidgety and unable to relax and stay still
* Erratic mood swings
* Irrational outbursts with family and loved ones
* Problems with sleeping; you feel tired all the time
* On weekends and days off (if you ever do have them!) you don't want to be social - all you feel like doing is crashing
* Constant multitasking and jumping from one task to the next to the next - you're busy but not productive
* Short-term memory loss and forgetfulness
* Inability to concentrate and focus on one thing at a time